the wandering storyteller

…and we’ll just overlook the fact that it’s been over two months since I’ve been here to talk of Doctor Squishy-Face. Remember Squishy? *sigh* I still miss that goofy bastard.

But, I still have a half a season of him to gush about, as much as I just want to hand-wave that second half and just maybe go back to Series 5 and 6. *sighs again* Remember Series 5 and 6? Weren’t those the best?

But nope. Lets move on. It’s not all bad.

The Bells of Saint John

I think that Clara calls Squishy “Clever Boy” is the thing that endears her to me the most. <3

Sometimes I get reminded to be awestruck about the cinematic scope and depth of some episodes of this show. I don’t know if it’s a BBC thing, or a Moffat thing, because Sherlock is the same. How very movie like it is, how well it’s shot and how intricate the story telling is. Sometimes I’m hooked right away by the story and the characters introduced before I even get sidetracked by the lovely that is the Doctor and his companion and whatever shenanigans they have going on. I guess it’s a great way to drop us into new worlds and new situations each week without having to spend too much time telling the story.

This episode for instance: I was instantly hooked on this guy talking about the internet and the souls that have been uploaded without knowing where they are. Instantly I am invested.

And then we’re transported to a strange English town in 1207. 0___O

And then there is the Doctor, and he’s meeting Clara–for the first time–again. What’s that, three times now? Really? Does this continue to be a thing? Because that would be sort of funny but mostly probably super annoying.

But it was okay this time, because I think it’s the first time that I’m really meeting her and there were a lot of things I wondered about Clara, having gotten bits of pieces of who she is in my haphazard viewing, for a long time now. Like how she could be both a nanny type and a teacher type. And what it was about the offer to go away with the Doctor that she got her on the TARDIS. Unlike Amy who was looking for an out from her life there in the beginning, for Clara it was all about the need she’d always had to travel. That’s nice.

Of course, there are a million other questions that both I and Squishy are asking: Who IS she? How IS she? And what’s the deal with that leaf?

Ohhh, what’s that I smell? A story-arc? Oh, me likey!

The Rings of Akhaten

*meep* Amy’s glasses. I love the little things like this that tells me that he still holds on to things and people and that he hasn’t just moved on.

Ahhhh, the Doctor with children! Or actually, it was more Clara with children. Which, don’t get me wrong, the nanny in me loves the nanny in her, but… well, I just really like Squishy’s interactions with children. It was one of the first things that drew me to this show and I hope he’s not delegating the interactions to her from now on.

Ah, but no, this was lovely:

The Doctor: Hey. Do you mind if I tell you a story? One you might not have heard. All the elements in your body were forged many many millions of years ago in the heart of a faraway star that exploded and died. That explosion scattered those elements across the desolations of deep space. After so, so many millions of years, these elements came together to form new stars and new planets. And on and on it went. The elements came together and burst apart, forming shoes and ships and sealing wax and cabbages and kings. Until, eventually, they came together to make you. You are unique in the universe. There is only one Merry Galel. And there will never be another. Getting rid of that existence isn’t a sacrifice, it’s a waste!Merry: So… if I don’t, then everyone else…The Doctor: Will be fine.Merry: How?The Doctor: There’s always a way.Merry: You promise?The Doctor: Cross my hearts.

I liked how the last episode and the beginning of this one was the Doctor getting to know about Clara, and the rest of the show, the part where they’re away from Earth, it is very much the Doctor introducing himself to her and giving her a picture of exactly what he’s about and what traveling with him entails:

The Doctor: Listen. There is one thing you need to know about travelling with me. Well, one thing apart from the blue box and the two hearts. We. Don’t. Walk. Away.

Then Later:

Clara: What about that stuff you said? We don’t walk away.The Doctor: No. We don’t walk away. But when we’re holding on to something precious, we run. We run and run fast as we can. And we don’t stop running until we are out from under the shadow.

Man, I’ve missed his long, powerful monologues when he’s angry, when he’s heartbroken, guilt-stricken, self-sacrificing and when he’s all these things at once:

The Doctor: I’ll tell you a story. Can you hear them? All these people who lived in terror of you and your judgment. All these people whose ancestors devoted themselves, sacrificed themselves to you. Can you hear them singing? Oh you like to think you’re a god. But you’re not a god. You’re just a parasite. Eat now with jealousy and envy and longing for the lives of others. You feed on them. On the memory of love and loss and birth and death and joy and sorrow, so… so come on then. Take mine. Take my memories. But I hope you’ve got a big appetite. Because I’ve lived a long life. And I’ve seen a few things. I walked away from the last great Time War. I marked the passing of the Time Lords. I saw the birth of the universe and watched as time ran out, moment by moment, until nothing remained. No time, no space. Just me! I walked in universes where the laws of physics were devised by the mind of a madman! And I watched universes freeze and creation burn! I have seen things you wouldn’t believe! I have lost things you will never understand! And I know things, secrets that must never be told, knowledge that must never be spoken! Knowledge that will make parasite gods blaze! So come on then! Take it! Take it all, baby! Have it! You have it all!

I’m not even going to lie, I am such a sucker for that shit. Get’s me every time.